Hydrocarbon wells often utilize one or more zonal isolation devices. These zonal isolation devices, which may include bridge plugs and/or swellable packers, may be utilized to restrict fluid flow within a fluid conduit of the hydrocarbon well. As an example, in a well that includes distinct oil-producing and water-producing intervals, a swellable packer may be utilized to restrict production of water from the water-producing intervals. As another example, bridge plugs may be utilized to temporarily, or even permanently, isolate a section, or region, of the fluid conduit. The fluid conduit may be defined solely by a wellbore of the hydrocarbon well, may be defined solely by a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore, and/or may be defined within an annular space that extends between the wellbore and the downhole tubular. Thus, zonal isolation devices may be in contact with, or may be configured to seal against, the wellbore and/or the downhole tubular.
In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to monitor and/or quantify a quality of isolation that is provided by a given zonal isolation device, to monitor one or more properties of the well in a region that is proximal to the zonal isolation device, and/or to selectively permit fluid flow past the zonal isolation device. Each of these activities generally requires wireline and/or coiled tubing workovers, and such workovers are costly and time-intensive. Thus, there exists a need for improved zonal isolation devices including sensing and wireless telemetry, as well as for methods of utilizing the zonal isolation devices.